Robert Ruck, 1980

This 1980 Robert Ruck is a superb and rare concert instrument from one of America’s greatest luthiers. Built at the very end of 1979 while Ruck was still working independently in Middleton, Wisconsin (before apprentices, before assistants), this guitar is #205 in his output.

It was custom-built for Michael Wright.  It also comes with Robert’s original hand-written description of the guitar—an exceptional piece of provenance that makes this a true collector’s item.

This instrument captures all the hallmarks of Ruck’s legacy—projection, clarity, and remarkable balance—while offering a voice that feels enormous in scale.

• Powerful, piano-like basses that resonate with authority.

• Treble clarity and warmth that avoids the brittle edge some spruce guitars can have.

• Extraordinary sustain with sympathetic overtones, producing a natural chorus-like resonance.

• Versatility: equally responsive to bold, concert-level playing and subtle, intimate phrasing.

The setup is low and comfortable, with an additional nut provided by Ruck himself to allow action adjustment to personal taste. Despite being 45 years old, it feels highly playable, stable, and concert-ready.

• Top: Solid European spruce (2-piece, feathered grain)

• Bracing: 7 scalloped fan braces with thin transverse brace

• Rosette: Colored marquetry, hand-made by Susan Ruck

• Back: Solid Brazilian rosewood (2-piece with marquetry center strip)

• Sides: Laminated Brazilian rosewood / mahogany

• Neck: One-piece Honduras mahogany with V-joint headstock

• Fingerboard: Indian ebony, 664mm scale, 54mm nut, 21 frets

• Bridge: Brazilian rosewood tie block

• Headstock: Brazilian rosewood veneer, backward angle design

• Tuners: Engraved German Hopf, gold-plated

• Special feature: Hand-written internal dedication with owner’s name and Robert’s signature

• Excellent++ overall condition for its age

• One pinpoint ding on the top below the soundhole (photo exaggerates it)

• Neck is straight, frets and fingerboard show essentially no wear

• Headstock clean, tuners fully functional

• No structural issues beyond a small ~4” grain crack in the Brazilian back near the heel. This has been present since around 1990, has never been “open,” and has no effect on stability or tone.

This is an extraordinary opportunity to acquire an early Ruck concert guitar—historically significant, immaculately preserved, and sonically powerful. Ruck’s influence on modern lutherie is beyond measure, and this example, complete with documentation and provenance, represents both a remarkable instrument and a piece of guitar history.
If you're interested in purchasing, please write to me at info@guitarcollection.com